Engine attachment.



A. L. ROBERTS.

ENGINE ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED 'oct. 12. l9l7.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

INVENTOFI I WlTNESSES ATTOHKEY Amt-wan. aoasars, or JACKSON, TENNESSEE.

OFFICE.

ENGINE ATTACHMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- ARTHUR L. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Madison and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine Attachments, of which the following is a specification. v a

This invention is an attachment for engines and comprises a valve motion control device more particularly adapted for internal combustion engines to vary the amount of opening and closing of the valves, wherein-the exhaust valve of one cylinder may be maintained in the open position, and at the same time the inlet valve is retained. in a closed position, through the ,movable member interposed bet-ween the ends of the valve stem and the tappets, or between the tappcts and push rods.

During the course of operation of an internal combustion engine, as for example when employed on a self propelled vehicle, the full power is not requlred at all times. At certain times, to lower the amount of power delivered or to decrease the rate of production, recourse is had by throttling and by var ing the fuel mixture. This does not make or economy as the suction of the engine is greater at slow speeds and the mixture richer.

Idling an engine is productiveof excessive heating and is especially noticed with a re tarded spark. The richer mixture is relatively slow burning and produces a greater quantity of heat than a leani'mixture at normal engine speed, when the engine is turning over at a rate that corresponds to at least 60 per centum' of its rated speed.

One object of the invention is to provide a mechanism, under the control of the operator, that may be employed for varying the lift or movement of the valves of' an internal combustion engine.

Another object is to provide a mechanism that may be employed to maintain an 7 exhaust valve in an open position and the inlet valve in "a closed condition to prevent the passage of combustible vapor into the ,cylinder and at the same time reducing the back pressure on or the pumping action of the piston.

Still another object is to provide a mechanism that may be quickly and easily oper ated by the driver to cut out one or more cylinders in accordance with the amount of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 12, 1917. Serial No. 196,289

Patented Aug. 13, 1918 work to be performed or energy to be expended, one that will consist of few parts, strong and simple, in construction to more effectively carry out the function required of the several parts, and one that may be readily. applied to an internal combustion engine at a small costbv reason of its being cheap to manufacture and assemble.

Broadly stated, the invention com-prises a movable bar So connected to an internal combustion engine that when moved, it will have substantially a parallel motion to the points of connection, means to move the bar, and angular elements carried by the bar to cooperate with the valve mechanism to maintain the exhaust valve open and the inlet valve closed for one or more cylinders or to permit the valve mechanism to operate normally, and means for adjusting the several parts for greater efliciency.

One practical form of construction and assembly with a modification adapted to cut out three cylinders will be described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the right hand side of an internal combustion engine with the attachment secured thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2,-2 of Fig. 1 showing the cooperation with a valve stem and tappet,

Fig. 3, is a detailed elevation partly in section of aportion of the valve mechanism with the attachment in position and viewed from the left hand side,

Fig. 4 is a detail top plan view of two of the wedges or angularelements that engage with the ends of the tappet rod,

Fig. 5 is a left hand side elevation of a modification adapted for use in cutting out two and three cylinders,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a detail top plan view showing the engagement of the operating arm with the movable bar in the modified form shown in Fig. 5.

In the preferred embodiment about to be described the crank case of an internal combustion engine may be designated A and the detachable head B and thestationary head C. The stationary head C as shown in Fig. 1 is provided with the ports 10, 11,12, 13, 14. and 15. The ports 10, 12, 13, and 15 may be considered the exhaust ports, while the ports 11, and 111 may be considered the inlet ports. Between the ports there may be secured the studs 16, 17, 18, and 19 which in the present instance will serve two functions. The studs 16 and 19 will serve as shafts for a portion of their length and on the bearing portion thereof the links 20 and 21 may be attached.

These links, in order to be attached to the studs, are provided adjacent one end withholes through which pass the studs. These studs may also serve to hold the flanges of the several manifolds in their proper relation to the several ports. The stud 18 is adapted to provide the pivotal mounting for a handle or lever 22.

In the sectional View, Fig. 2, the valve 23 is provided with a stem 24. The stem is adapted to pass through a removable guide 25 secured in position in the stationary head of the engine. The guides for the other valves are indicated at 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31,

and 32 and the stems passing therethrough.

are indicated at 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 38, and 39. The lower ends of the several valve rods are adapted to rest normally in such a position that the rotation of the cam shaft 40 will cause the several cams to move the tappet rods upward. Only one cam 41 and a tappet 42 are shown.

The tappet as shown is provided with the mushroom head 43 as is usual. The tappet moves through a guide 44 and has its upper end provided'with a cap 45. The cap may be of any usual form of construction but it .is preferred to make it so that it has a more will form the pivots 48 and 49. These will form a pivotal connection between the links 20 and 21 and the bar 50. This bar may be formed in any suitable manner and is provided at convenient points with slots that serve to accommodate the elements 51, 52, 53, and 54. As shown in Fig. 4 the bar 50 has secured to it a small plate 55 that is spaced therefrom by means of the spacing blocks 56, 57, and 58.

At a convenient point on the bar 50 there Y may be secured an arm 59 that is provided at its upper end with a hole to cotiperate-with a suitable securing means such as the pin 60 for securing the lever 22 with the'arm 59.

The method of connection is such that it will provide a pivot. The movement of "the handle or lever 22 will thus cause a movethe engine.

ment and rocking of the bar 50. This motion will be translated into a parallel motion by means of the links 20 and 21 so that the elements 51 to 54 inclusive will be moved simultaneously.

The elements 51 to 54 inclusive are preferably L-shaped, one limb of which is adapted to seat within the recess formed on the bar 50 by the plate 55 and the several spacing members. The elements are arranged in pairs as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and the two elements of each pair may be separated by means of a spacing block 57. The other limb of the element is angularly formed so that one side is thin while the opposite side is relatively thick. The change in thickness is preferably made upon the under surface of this limb and the'two surfaces indicated at 61 and 62 may be joined by an angular shoulder 63. This is more clearly shown in Fig. 3. The upper surface 64 of this same limb is preferably fiat to lie in one plane. If desired both the under and upper surface of this horizontally placed limb may be hardened to resist wear.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 these elements 51 to 54 which may also be termed angular elements serve as wedges or shims to vary the amount of movement given to the several valve rods by their respective tappets. These elements are adapted to move by means of the handle or lever 22 which will impart a parallel motion of the bar 50 and cause the elements to move longitudinally of These elements are preferably so positioned that the lower ends of the valverods will engage with the flat upper surface 64 while the under surface 61 and 62 will engage with the tops 46 of the caps 45.

The caps 45 and more especially their tops 46 may also be hardened to resist wear. This wear occurs when the tappet is caused to rise and will strike the under surface of the elements whereupon their upper surfaces will engage with the ends of the valve rods. This is a constant hammering or knocking as there must be some slight play between the ends of the valve rods and their respective tappets to allow for the expansion and elongation of the several parts.

hen the several parts are arrangedin the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the exhaust valve will be held open while the inlet valves are retained in their closed osition. This is accomplished by means 0 the angular elements and the angular under surface of one of the limbs as indicated at .61, 62 and 63. It will be noticed that the thicker end corresponding to the under surface 62 is positioned between the ca 45 and the lower end of the valve rod 24 w iich corresponds to the exhaust side of number one cylinder.

The inlet valve rod 33 has interposed be tween it and the cap 45 the thin end as indicated by the under surface 61. In the position shown which are the corresponding character for the number four cylinder the exhaust valve is maintained open due to the thickness of the interposed portion of the elements while the inlet valve is retained'in a closed position because the interposed member is thinne than that normally lying therebetween. The tappet will not raise the valve on account of the change of thickness between the ends of the valve rod and the corresponding cap.

It will thus be seen uponinspection of the drawings in connection with the above description that the power plant may have its capacity varied according to the needs of the service required. When it is desired to economize the consumption of fuel as when traveling upon a level road two cylinders may be cut out and the other two employed for power purposes which will cut the amount of gasolene used nearly 50%. This method is under the control of the operator at all times and is merely an adjunct to the commercial type of internal combustion engines and may be employed upon practically all types of multi-cylinder engines in use.

The device may be employed successfully under these conditions whenit is desired to idle the engine as when making a stop of relatively short duration. This will avoid the starting and stopping of the motor which has a more or less deleterious efi'ect upon the storage battery. The advantages will be readily apparent when many short stops are frequently made by the driver.

In Fig. 5 there is disclosed a modification that is adapted to cut out three cylinders simultaneously and is of the same general construction as that disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. In addition it is provided with a pair of angular valve actuating elements that may be adjusted so that either two orthree cylinders may be cut out. Inthe construction shown in Fig. 5 the main supporting member may be U-shaped and be provided with the flanges 66 and 67.

Suitable operating elements or handles 68 and 69 may be connected thereto. The lever 68 is preferably positioned between the flanges 66 and 67 and the securing plate by means of the fastening means 70 serving as a pivot; The lever 69 is provided with an angular end 71 that is adapted to fit in a recess formed in the upper end of the arm 72. The upper end of this arm 72 is slotted and bent at right angles forming two fingers 73 and 74 between which the ends 71 are placed.

The arm 72 may be secured to the slldable member 75 which is adapted to ride on the bar 76. The bar, 76 may be secured to the supporting bar 65 in any suitable manner but if desired it may be formed integral therewith. The slidable member 75 may be angular valverod engaging elements; To

vary and correct the position of the member 75 when moved by the lever 69 a convenient stop is employed. This stop may be of any usual construction and is provided at its outer end witha handle 79 mounted upon the end of a long screw 80 that passes through the bar 76.

The other end of the screw is provided with an enlarged end 81 that is adapted to abut the end of the movable member 75. Thus it will serve as a stop and when moved toward the left, the member will be in properposition to actuate the valves of the number two v cylinderin connection with one and four.

When the engine is normally operating with four cylinders, the bar 50 is so positioned that the thin portion of the L-shaped elements lies between the ends of the exhaust valve stem and its respective tappet or pushrod. The element coiiperating with the inlet valve stem will then have its thick portion lying between the end of the stem and its tappet or push-rod. The bar 50 as shown in Fig.- 1 indicates that certain of the cylinders are cut out.

It should be understood that the difference in the thickest part of the intake valve shims and the thinnest part should be equal to the throw of the cam on the cam shaft. In other words the travel of the tappet and the intake valve stem must be cut olf that amount and the exhaust valve stems should be cut off an amount equal to the thinnest-part of the shim.

Minor changes in form, proportion and details of eonstructionmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

-What I claim is: v

1. An engine attachment comprising a movable bar, a plurality of spaced removable elements carried by the bar and continuously engageable between the ends of the tappets and the valve stems of an internal combustion engine, and means for moving the bar and therewith the elements for varying the valve operation of said engine.

2. An engine attachment for internal combustion engines, which comprises a movable bar member, a lurality of spaced L-shaped elements carried by the member, the horizontal limb of each element being formed to have difierent thicknesses vertically, each of which is insertible at will in the valve actuating devices so as to control the operation of the valves, and means to move said member.

3. An engine attachment for internal combustion engines, which comprises a plurality of spaced wedge elements that are movably mounted with respect to the valve actuating devices and continuously interposed therebetween, and means including a lever,

' for: rendering inoperative the valve devices of one or more cylinders. a

4. An engine attachment for multi-cylinder internal combustion engines,which comprises a movable member, a. plurality of spaced elements removably assembled thereon, the movement of said member. changing the position of said elements for holding the exhaust valve continuously open and simultaneously retaining a continuous closure of the inlet valve, and a lever pivotally secured to the member for moving said member'and ,the element to their operative and inopera-- tive positions.

- 5 An engine attachment for multi-c linder internal combustion engmes, W 1ch comprises a movable bar member, secured to the engine so that it may'have a parallel 0 motion to the engine, a plurality of spaced L-shaped elements removably assembled thereon, and a lever secured to the member for moving said member, said lever being adapted to inter-pose different portions of the elements between the endsof the valve stems and the tappets.

6.; An engine attachment, which comprises amovable bar composed of members lying in parallel planes and forming sockets, a plurality of L-shaped elements r'emovably placed in said sockets,'said elements having their horizontal limbs insertihle between the 7. An engine attachment, which comprises a movablebar having spaced sockets, L- shaped elements removably placed therein, each of said elements having its transverse portion formed with difi'erent thicknesses, each adapted to be alternately placed between the end of a valve stem and the push or tappet rod, and means for moving the bar to place and retain the one thickness of an element in continuous operative position.

8. An engine attachment, which comprises a movable bar having sockets and guide ways, a slidable element for said guide ways, L-shaped. elements removably placed in the sockets, means for moving the bar, and means for moving the slidable'element independently of the bar moving means.

9. An engine attachment, which comprises a movable bar, a plurality of pivotally mounted links secured thereto, means for moving said bar, a plurality of spaced L- shaped elements removably secured to the bar, each of said elements bein provided with its transverse portion forme of difi'crent thicknesses, each thickness bein adapted for continuousinsertion between t e end of a valve stem and a push-rod or tappet, said bar moving means serving to place one of the thicknesses in position to render the valve continuously operative, and also to place the other thickness in position to render the valve continuously inoperative.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

. ARTHUR L. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

W. L. BnMPUs, J. H. Moonn. 

